NORTH HAVEN -- When it comes to the story of Sandy the rabbit and when it comes to showing off his town, First Selectman Michael J. Freda is like the Energizer Bunny.

From fielding calls from across the country from folks concerned about Sandy's fate, to setting up video shots for "Today in America," Freda spent Tuesday trying to put North Haven in a positive light.

He spoke again to CNN about the rabbit issue, which he and his assistant, Valerie Goodkin, have been dealing with since Wednesday night, when News 8 broke a story that the Lidsky family of Susan Lane claimed the town wanted them to get rid of their pet because of an old zoning regulation that says rabbits have to be maintained on more than 2 acres. Freda said the town will not take Sandy away from 7-year-old Kayden Lidsky.

In between calls and emails, Freda and town department heads were being filmed by a one-man crew from "Today in America," a cable news show that uses former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Terry Bradshaw as host. The show is based in Coral Springs, Fla., and runs business, news and lifestyle stories, interviewing newsmakers from a variety of industries.

Freda said he was contacted by the show about five months ago because it became interested in economic development projects the town was working on, including the Yale-New Haven Hospital Urgent Care Center on Devine Street.

Tuesday, field producer Garrett Caffacus was in town and started shooting the show at Freda's office in Memorial Town Hall.

"I'm also trying to help showcase the region, so I'm planning to show him the train station, the new bus depot in Hamden, Sleeping Giant and the shore of West Haven," Freda said before leaving Town Hall.

Locally, Freda and Caffacus visited, among other locations, the veterans memorials on the Green, Ludal's, Bellini's, the future locations on Washington Avenue of Leon's and the Hibachi Grille and the B. Willie Smith summer concert on the Green on Tuesday night.

The show will run later in the year. "Today in America" is seen on the Discovery Channel and cable news stations nationwide.

While he was on a shooting break, Freda also did a phone interview with CNN about the rabbit story and fielded calls from people who wanted to ask why the town would want Josh Lidsky's daughter to be without Sandy, a 20-pound Flemish giant.

Some of CNN's local affiliates were running the story, so Freda felt more clarification was necessary.

Freda told CNN he wasn't surprised by the reaction to the story. "We've gotten a 1,000 emails and calls from all over the United States and now Europe," he said. He feels he has to defend the town by returning calls or emails to each person.

The overall feeling from outsiders is that North Haven "is a nasty town that should be ashamed," Freda said. "I take that personally. I don't want our citizens to be categorized as being part of a mean, nasty town."

Lidsky has filed an appeal with the Zoning Board of Appeals, seeking a variance to keep the rabbit on under 2 acres.

Freda said the zoning ordinance, which dates back to when North Haven was primarily a farming community, will be reviewed.

Lidsky said he has a radio appearance today.

He has had a long-standing feud with his neighbor. The latest round of issues arose when the neighbor complained about blight on Lidsky's property.

Town officials went to check it out, and saw the rabbit cage in the driveway. The hutch is now in the rear of the house.

Call Ann DeMatteo at 203-789-5716. Follow her on Twitter at AnnDDeMatteo.